Fritzschia atropurpurea (Melastomataceae, Marcetieae): A New Species from the Serra do Cipo, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Fritzschia atropurpurea, an endemic new species from the Serra do Cipo, Espinhaco Range, Minas Gerais state, Brazil, is described and illustrated. This new species can be easily differentiated from its congeners by the combination of the following characters: hirsute-glandular trichomes covering the branches, petioles, leaves, bracteoles, pedicels, hypanthium, sepals, and the medial-apical portion of the right margin of the petals; membranaceous leaves with a dark purple abaxial surface; and long pedicels. Images from scanning electron microscopy, photos of the species in the field, a distribution map, and a key to identify the congeners that occur in the Serra do Cipo are presented. We suggest that if a formal assessment were performed, Fritzschia atropurpurea would probably be categorized as an Endangered (EN) species.